Cambridge Audio DACMagic 200M
Digital-to-Analog converter and headphone amplifier
Limited Black Edition in Denmark exclusive to Tape Connection
The DACMagic 200M is the successor to one of the most popular entry-level DACs in recent years and improves vastly on its predecessor’s performance and features. Since the introduction of the original DACMagic Plus a lot of things have changed and the desire for high-resolution audio has brought a lot of very strong competitors to market. Cambridge Audio is out for revenge, and their weapon of choice is the DACMagic 200M.
DACMagic 200M is Perfect For TIDAL Hi-Fi tier With MQA decoding
With a vast number of music lovers subscribing to TIDAL’s Hi-Fi tier, the obvious choice was to include support for decoding of MQA files. The DACMagic 200 supports full decoding (core + renderer) and even has an LED on the front that lights up when MQA files are decoded and you’re listening to artist-approved-studio-quality audio. This is the first product from Cambridge Audio to support MQA, but we’re certain that more will come. There’s also support for Direct Stream Digital, or DSD, up to DSD512 the equivalent of 11 times CD quality audio. There’s native DSD support up to DSD512 and up to DSD256 via DoP (DSD over PCM). The new ESS Sabre DACs – there are two of them onboard – have the processing power to handle both MQA and DSD, but of course also support regular PCM files up to 32-bit/768kHz. They also offer three digital filters: fast, slow and short delay.
On the rear of the DACMagic 200M you’ll find an array of inputs and outputs. The inputs comprise two coaxial S/PDIF, two optical TosLink and a USB-B for connecting to a PC or Mac computer.
DAC, Pre-amplifier and Headphone Amplifier in One
The Cambridge Audio DACMagic 200M is both a DAC and a headphone amplifier. Connecting to your existing amplifier is a breeze and can be done using a choice of balanced XLR or single-ended RCA cables. The output is either fixed or variable and can be used with a pair of powered speakers or a power amplifier. The brilliant headphone amplifier capabilities should also be mentioned. Paired with a good headphone, the Cambridge Audio DACMagic 200 will reward you with hours upon hours of high-quality head-fi listening.
The update to Cambridge Audio’s popular DAC also includes the updated look on the fascia, and the new Lunar Grey faceplate to match current offerings from the UK manufacturer.
| Measurements | 21,5 x 5,2 x 19,1 cm |
| Weight (net) | 1,7 kg |
| Input, optical (TosLink) | 2 |
| Input, coaxial (S/Pdif) | 2 |
| Input, USB | 1 |
| Output, Stereo RCA | 1 |
| Output, Stereo XLR | 1 |
| Output, Headphone | Yes, 1/4" TRS |
| Network features | Bluetooth, Bluetooth AAC, Bluetooth aptX |
| Audio decoding | DSD64 / 2.8 MHz, DSD128 / 5.6 MHz, DSD256 / 11.2 MHz, DSD512 / 22.5 MHz, MQA decoder and renderer |
| Supported sample rates, kHz | 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352, 384, 768 |
| Supported bit depth | 16 bit, 24 bit, 32 bit |
| Audio chipset | Dual ESS ES9028Q2M |
| In the box | Power cable, Users guide |
| Power consumption | 12 watts max |